


Safer in Your Arms

by Neverplannedonsomeonelikeyou



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Help, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Spoilers, i have sinned, spoilers for 707s name
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-06
Updated: 2019-06-02
Packaged: 2020-02-27 09:13:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18736045
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neverplannedonsomeonelikeyou/pseuds/Neverplannedonsomeonelikeyou
Summary: The RFA has received a threat. How will Mi-young and the rest of the RFA handle being isolated from the rest of society while Saeyoung works to keep everyone safe?





	1. Chapter 1: A new Threat

**Author's Note:**

> Check out my Tumblr at neverplannedonsomeonelikeyou ! I take requests!

I have never regretted joining the Rika’s Fundraising Association.  
Sure, there had been some dangerous situations, but I have always had faith in the RFA, and they have always taken good care of each other.  
After the first party, we met up often. I met up with Yoosung the most, since he had the most free time. I considered Yoosung my best friend - although I tended to avoid telling him any secrets, since if you were to put any pressure on him, he would spill anything, no matter what it was.  
After the first party, I was able to go back to a mostly regular life. After a while, Jumin offered me a position at C&R as an events coordinator. I mainly handled the events Jumin held, since the other higher-ups had other events coordinators. So I didn’t work too often, only four days a week, but the pay was much higher than my old job working retail. Plus, I got to work closely with two of my best friends, Jaehee and Jumin. The three of us often had lunch together when we could. Their schedules were quite hectic, so we often ate together at odd times of the day, but it was still nice nonetheless. We had made a rule that there would be no work discussion when eating.  
Since I had more time on my hands working for C&R, I started to make gifts for the other RFA members. After Saeyoung quit his job, he had more time on his hands, so he made lots of trinkets in exchange for the bracelets I made.  
At this point, I have made bracelets for each member of the RFA. I enjoyed seeing them on them when we hung out. I always put a lot of thought into each bracelet, and they seemed to like them. It was fun to see Jaehee with her bracelet on around work. Jumin never wore his purple one around the workplace, since it was seen as unprofessional for him to wear one.  
I also made one for myself, to match the rest of the bracelets. Each one had a similar design - it was a simple bracelet that had charms on them that reminded me of them, along with a crystal that I felt they would like having on them.  
My bracelet was much harder to make than any of the others. I ended up making mine a combination of theirs, with the crystals I had used on the other’s bracelets, along with my initials, M.C.  
Meeting with the RFA was always a lot of fun. I enjoyed seeing each of them. My apartment was still a classified location, but Saeyoung visited quite often, since he knew where it was.  
I prepared for months for a new RFA party. The proceeds would go to the local homeless center, so I invited as many guests as I could.  
I had met with a few guests in person instead of emailing back in forth. Everyone I met with had a lot of talent in their area, and I loved learning from them about what they do.  
A few of the guests I met with didn't show up to the party, which upset me, since I had felt like meeting with guests would make them more likely to join.  
I cheered up instantly seeing all of my friends talking to guests at the party, though. And it was nice seeing the few guests I met with in person who did show up.  
When I showed up, I started with managing the long donation line. It was nice to see all of the donations coming in, and I enjoyed having chats with all of the guests.  
“Hey, Mi-young!” Yoosung called, walking towards me, arms outstretched. He gave me a tight hug, rocking the two of us from side to side. He pulled away after a few moments. “I’m here to help with the donations!”  
I smiled. “Thank you, Yoosung!” I turned back to the table, thanking a guest for their donation, my spirits lifted with Yoosung helping.  
We both got to work, the line now moving twice as fast. After an hour, Jaehee relieved me from my position at the line, and I was able to go mingle with the guests and other RFA members.  
I ended up running into Zen first. “Hey, Mi-young!” I heard him shout, straightening up at the sight of me and waving me over to his position.  
I smiled and waved back as I walked to him. Zen, though he wasn't my closest friend, was definitely close. “Hey, Zen!”  
“How are you liking the party?” He asked, putting a hand on my shoulder as I reached him. “Good, eh?”  
I nodded, my smile intensifying. I was so impressed with this party. It was much bigger than the last one, with thousands of guests, compared to last party’s twenty. “It’s one for the scrapbook,” I beamed. I pulled my phone out. “Speaking of… Say cheese!” I snapped a photo of Zen, and he smiled for the camera, posing in his best . “You look too great tonight not to snap a picture of it.”  
“Thank you, my lovely lady,” he said with a smile, brushing hair out of his face. “Make sure to get plenty of yourself, you look stunning in your dress.”  
I blushed. “Thank you. I was a little unsure of the cut on it, so I am glad to hear someone likes it.”  
He looked at my dress before turning his eyes away. “Yes, well…” He wiped his face with his hand. “It is a little low-cut, so just make sure to look out for any creeps,” Zen said, turning back to look me in the eyes, a look of worry across his face.  
I waved him off. “I’ll be fine, I made sure to avoid inviting creeps.”  
“Of course, but still be careful.”  
“Always.”  
After our conversation ended, I continued my mingling. As much as I enjoyed being with the people I invited, I found it much more enjoyable to talk to my friends, so I started searching out other members more than guests.  
There were so many people at the party. I couldn't believe how many people I had talked to, and I also couldn't believe how many people actually came.  
Soon, I ran into Jumin. Of all of the members, he wasn't my closest friend, but he was still very dear to me.  
“Jumin, hello!” I said as I saw him. He turned to greet me, a look of surprise on his face before it softened into a small smile.  
“Hello, Mi-young,” he said, shaking my hand. “How are you doing? Are you ready for your speech in an hour?”  
I gasped, hand flying to my mouth. “I forgot! I haven't written it!”  
“Would you like for me to get you with a speechwriter? She can be here in ten minutes.”  
I nodded. “Thank you, Jumin.”  
“No need to thank me. But please, I expect you to be more prepared next time.”  
For the next ten minutes, I ran around, letting the other RFA members know I would be unavailable for the next hour and a half, and if they had any issues with guests to go to Jumin before going to me.  
Zen was upset about having to go to Jumin instead of me, but he agreed along with the rest of the RFA members.  
I walked out of the party room and into one of the smaller rooms we had nearby to see the speech writer already sitting in one of the chairs in front of a desk. I sat beside her, thanking her for coming on such short notice.  
“It is no issue, Miss..?” She said, holding her hand out to me to shake.  
“Mi-young is fine,” I said, shaking her hand. “Thank you for coming on such short notice,” I said with a smile.  
We worked for the next half hour, coming up with a small speech for me to give. For the rest of the time I had before I was to give the speech I was practicing and doing a touch up on my makeup with the makeup artist backstage. She put a setting powder along my forehead and under my nose and touched up my eyeshadow and lipstick. I thanked her and gave her a generous tip, which she gratefully accepted.  
Finally, it was time to give my first speech of the night. I would be giving two thank you speeches - one towards the beginning, and one towards the end. A few of the other members were going to be giving speeches about the RFA and how we came to be to ensure Rika’s memory was still alive in the RFA parties. We didn't want to overload the party with too many speeches, though, so only a few other members would be speaking, along with a video we would play before my second speech at the end of the night.  
Before it was time for my speech, I stood backstage, anxious to step on stage. I was very shy in school and didn't like being the center of attention back then. At this point in my life, I was better about speaking in front of people, but I was still nervous. There were so many people behind that curtain…  
I took a deep breath and stepped into the view of the guests. In the front of the crowd, I saw Yoosung, cheering me on. I instantly felt better seeing my best friend clapping for me. I walked to the microphone centerstage and picked it up.  
“Ladies and gentlemen and everyone in between, I would like to thank you all for coming to the RFA party.” After this statement, the crowd burst into applause, cheers, and whistles. “As you all know, the RFA is sending all these donations that you all make today to the local homeless center.”  
I talked about the homeless problem the city was seeing, and how lack of funds are making things much harder to help. I also mentioned how we would see immediate effects from the funds, and how it would also help in the long term.  
My speech finished up smoothly, and I felt absolutely amazing after I was done. I hadn't believed in a ‘stage high’ until I stepped off the stage.  
Once I stepped back stage, Yoosung, who was already there, pulled me into a hug.  
“You did amazing, Mi-young!” He exclaimed, pulling away and grabbing my shoulders, a huge grin on his face. His eyes seemed to sparkle with excitement. “You looked scared at first, but I knew you would rock it! And you did!”  
“Thank you, Yoosung,” I smiled. “It is nice to hear that.”  
He released my shoulders. “Of course! But now, we should go manage the donations again together!”  
I nodded, a wide grin still present on my face. “I would love to work donations with my bestie!”

 

Managing donations was very enjoyable. About halfway through the party, we had such a small line that Zen offered to take over for the both of us. My feet were so tired from standing in heels and talking to the guests that I agreed.  
Yoosung and I went to the room where I had worked on the speech to relax for a moment. Even though we were tired, we were still happy to chat together.  
After fifteen minutes in the break room, we went back in to chat with guests and the other RFA members, splitting up. I saw Yoosung walk in the direction of the food table almost instantly, but was stopped by guests who admired him due to his high rank in LOLOL.  
Across the room, Saeyoung was standing alone. I walked over to him, heels clicking with each step.  
His face lit up with a grin when he saw me, but exhaustion was clear on his face. “Mi-young! I haven’t been able to congratulate you for your speech earlier!”  
I smiled. “Thank you, Saeyoung.” My smile was replaced with a frown. “Are you feeling alright? You look tired.”  
“I am,” he said with a chuckle. “Nothing for you to worry about, though.”  
“Are you sure?” I asked. “If you need some caffeine, we have some sodas in the break room.”  
Saeyoung perked up instantly. “Off to the break room I go!” He speed walked off in the direction I had just come.  
I decided after talking with Saeyoung that I needed to socialize more with the guests. After all, I was the one who they spoke with about the party before they came. I spoke with some of the guests nearby. Most of the guests had almost formed groups with people who did similar things.  
I was standing with the large group of tech related people. I have never been very good with technology, so I let the people around me explain more about what they did and how they did it. I felt like I got to peek into Saeyoung’s world.  
After mingling with the guests for an hour, it was announced that we would have a speaker. Excited to hear Yoosungs speech about Rika, I stood in the very front of the crowd as he did for me, cheering him on the whole time.  
The speech was very emotional. I could feel the mood shift the second Yoosung mentioned Rika - everyone went into a very respectful silence for Yoosung to speak. He went on about his memories of her, and then went into more about why she made the organization. I always enjoyed hearing about Rika from Yoosung.  
Right after the speech, I met Yoosung backstage and gave him a giant hug. In another two hours, we would have Zen speak about how he had seen the RFA help, with the announcement that I would be giving the closing remarks an hour later.  
Jaehee had helped me prepare the closing speech weeks ago at a coffee shop. We both met up to hang out after work, but it had ended up turning into us planning things for the party. It was nice to have help from Jaehee, since she had seen and given many speeches and knew how to make sure this closing speech would be impactful.  
After parting ways with Yoosung, I went over and managed the small donation line. I couldn't believe people were still lining up to donate. It made me feel warm knowing that this many people were standing in the line this late in the party.  
After Zen’s speech, which went well, we closed down the donation booth. A half hour before my speech, I went backstage to get my hair and makeup retouched again. By the time they had finished, it was only five minutes until I would be on stage.  
Jaehee climbed up the stairs to the backstage area I was in. I waved to her, careful to not make too much noise so the crowd gathering won't hear me.  
She waved back. “You’ll do great, Mi-young,” she whispered when she gets close enough.  
I nodded. “Thank you. I will try my best. Is Saeyoung ready with the video?”  
“Yes. We are ready when you are.” She smiled to me. “Break a leg.”  
I turned around, took a deep breath, and stepped out on stage. Yet again, Yoosung is in the front of the crowd, smiling and clapping for me.  
“Hello everyone,” I said into the mic. The clapping died down. “I would first like to thank you all one more time for coming. This party has been a huge success, and it is all thanks to you.” The audience clapped. “We would like to show you a video we have made. We have gone on your websites, looked at your metube videos, and pulled some photos and clips of each of you doing what it is you do best. We hope you enjoy!” I motioned for Saeyoung to play the video.  
Instead of the video, though, we were met with a loud, screeching noise.  
“This is a warning for the RFA,” A disguised voice said over the speakers. “Run while you can.”  
The hairs stood up on my arms and the back of my neck. All of a sudden, I was hit with a rush of anxiety. Run while we can? What was that supposed to mean?  
I felt all eyes on me and felt almost like I was going to vomit. I rushed backstage. Jaehee took the hint and rushed to the front of the stage to cover for me. One of the makeup artists backstage slid a chair over to me, and I sat. I watched from behind as Jaehee told everyone not to worry, and continued the speech as we had planned, but with her in my shoes.  
I couldn’t find any sort of feeling in me other than cold. My toes and fingers were numb. What the hell just happened?  
I heard footsteps coming towards me and looked up to see Zen holding a bottle of water. He rushed over to me and uncaps the bottle, then handed it to me. I took a drink. After I set it down, he pulled me into a hug.  
And yet, all I felt was numb.

 

After we had gotten all of the guests out of the building, we met in the break room to discuss what had happened when we had tried to play the video.  
“Saeyoung, you were just pranking us, right?” Yoosung asked, hopeful that this was harmless.  
All the hope Yoosung had felt was squashed when Saeyoung shook his head. “No, I wouldn’t pull a prank at a party.”  
“What could it have been?” Zen asked, running his hands through his hair.  
“It could have been an enemy of the RFA trying to scare away the guests,” Jumin stated, leaning back into his chair with one leg over the other.  
“No, they would have said words targeted at the guests if that were the case. This was clearly meant for us,” Jaehee said, worry lining her words.  
I nodded. “I also don't think this could have been a joke played on us by someone trying to mess with the party.”  
“I think we should treat it as a real threat, even if it isn't,” Saeyoung said. “We need to be as cautious as possible.”  
“Should we go to the hideout for a few days? In case it was serious?” Yoosung asked.  
“As much as work will miss us, I agree,” Jaehee said. “Personal safety over good work.”  
“The world doesn't stop turning because we are gone, Assistant Kang,” Jumin says. “We can't skip work because some kid wants to scare us.”  
“I don't think this is ‘some kid’, Jumin,” Saeyoung said, standing from his seat. “We all need to make sure we are safe, and I believe the safest place on earth is our hideout.”  
Jumin sighed, but reluctantly agreed, and everyone else followed. 

The drive to the bunker was long. Saeyoung drove, since he knew the location of the hideout well. After he quit his job, he took the hideout as his project for the RFA, and visited often to make sure construction went well.  
Even Jumin looked concerned. After we had decided it was a serious threat, everyone became very serious. We had never needed to use the hideout, and most of us had never even been there.  
We sat in silence. Tensions were high. I had never been involved in a dangerous situation like this, and I was beyond scared. I was terrified.  
We made it to the hideout after hours of driving. Nobody said much the whole ride. Yoosung had asked once or twice how everyone was doing, but other than that, everyone kept to themselves.  
On the way there, we had to walk for some time. We didn't have any supplies we needed to bring, as everything we would need either on us or in the bunker. Saeyoung had made it a point that we would need to stock the hideout with things like extra clothing and toothbrushes and so on for situations like this when we wouldn't have time to grab anything from our homes.  
The hideout was hidden by rocks and trees. You would only be able to see it if you were looking for it. We stepped into the hideout, the cold air surrounding us.  
How long would we need to be here?


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come talk to me on discord at Ali J#4802

The hideout was dim. The opening room was quite bleak, with a color palette of grey and blue. Saeyoung had been planning on repainting the main rooms in a few months, but for now, this was what I’d be seeing for the next few days.  
Hopefully, it was only a few days.  
Saeyoung already had our favorite colors plastered all around our rooms. He wanted to make sure we all had our own spots to calm down if we needed to, and he found it would be hard to calm down surrounded by things that made you uncomfortable.   
I'd have never been more grateful for a pop of color in my life.  
Saeyoung gave us a tour of the hideout, showing everyone each other's rooms so we would be able to find each other more easily. You could tell he took great care into everyone’s bedrooms. With his toy store opening soon, he didn't have as much time to put into the hideout anymore. Jumin offered to send some people over to finish it for him, but Saeyoung refused, as the shelter was now his new baby.   
Nobody spoke during the tour, save for Saeyoung. We all were nervous. We all had hoped the hideout would have just been a place we knew we had but never had to use.   
It felt like danger was always right around each corner we turned.  
We all were still dressed in our party clothes. My feet were killing me from my heels, so I took them off and carried them during the second half of the tour. Typically, someone would have made a joke about me taking my shoes off, but nobody had acknowledged it.  
I was beginning to hate how weird everyone was acting. It made the whole situation feel even more real. Of course, we needed to take this seriously, but the silence that had taken over after we left the party location was beginning to make me anxious.  
After the tour, we all went to our individual rooms to look around in there. I heard a knock at my door a few minutes after I had gotten changed into some of the clothes Saeyoung had brought here for me ages ago, my dress folded and put into the bottom drawer of the dresser in my room.  
“Who is it?” I shouted.  
“Yoosung,” I heard from the other side. I got up and opened the door. Yoosung stepped into the room. I sat down on the bed and motioned for him to sit next to me.  
“What's up?” I asked.  
He fidgeted. “This whole situation… I don't like how everyone has changed attitudes entirely. Even you’re acting funny. I want to know what I can do to help.”  
I smiled. Of course Yoosung came to me to ask how to help. He has always been so kind to me, and whenever I was down, he tried his best to make me feel better again.   
“I also hate how everyone is acting,” I said. “I guess just having someone to talk to will help.”  
Yoosung's face lit up. “I’ll do that, then!” he said excitedly. “While we are here, do you want to see if we could paint something here? I know there is paint in the supply closet Saeyoung showed us,” Yoosung said, adjusting his hair. He hadn't changed out of his party clothes yet, but he still had his hair in his signature clips.   
Yoosung and I had taken up art as a hobby together. We would do collaborations a lot. He was getting really good with the original sketches and lineart, while I was good with the colors and shading. Together, we had a great time.  
I smiled. “I would love to do a mural with you,” I said. “Should we go find Saeyoung and see if there is a spot he is okay with us painting?”  
“Yes! Painting time!”  
We walked over to Saeyoung’s room. He had his door cracked and was tapping away at his keyboard.   
“Saeyoung?” Yoosung said, opening the door.   
Saeyoung turned his head and waved at us. “Hey, is there some sort of issue?”  
“We were wondering if you'd be alright with us painting a mural somewhere,” I said. “To kinda get our minds off all this.”  
Saeyoung nodded. “Anywhere will work, I trust you’ll find a good spot. Paint is in the supply closet.”  
I clapped my hands and thanked him.  
Yoosung and I ran into the supply closet, looking for painters tape. We had decided it would be best to brighten up the commons area, so we were going to make the mural there. After looking around some, we found the painters tape.  
“Race to the commons area?” I asked Yoosung. He nodded, immediately getting into a running stance.   
“Three… Two… One!” I shouted, taking off. I ran as quick as I could. Our footsteps echoed through the halls.  
Towards the end of the last hallway to the commons room, I pulled in front of Yoosung. I slid into the room, securing my victory. I knelt onto the ground, and soon Yoosung was right next to me, the both of us out of breath.   
We made eye contact and burst into laughter. It felt nice to laugh in a situation like this. It felt like I hadn't laughed in decades.  
Even in a time like this, my best friend was able to make me laugh. That made me feel even better.  
We picked ourselves up off the ground and began squaring off a section on the wall with the painter's tape.   
Yoosung and I ran around looking for paper and pencils, eventually settling with asking Saeyoung where some might be. He told us to check the desks in our rooms, and both of us mentally facepalmed as we ran into my room to grab some paper. Lo and behold, there was a stack of paper and pencils in the drawer like we were told.  
We went back to the common area and began sketching out our ideas. We wanted to make it something everyone could enjoy, so we decided we would paint all of us together, like a group photo.   
I started sketching out a photo I had someone take of us during our first time meeting. I was so excited to have met everyone, I needed to take a picture for my scrapbook. We all had gotten to the party early to set up. Jumin and Zen were already dressed for the party, everyone else was wearing more of their regular clothes and was going to change before the party started. Jaehee and I looked so much smaller compared to the others. Everyone looked so happy in that photo.   
We got to work immediately, sketching out the photo from memory. I was going to let Yoosung do the lineart alone since he enjoyed it so much, so he got to work lining it all in pencil on the wall.   
I sat up against the wall chatting with him while he worked. After a while, his hand was beginning to hurt, and it was nearing two in the morning.  
“It’s probably about time to get to bed, don't you think?” I asked.   
He yawned. “Probably… I don't know if we are keeping any of the other members awake, but I think it'd be best if we went to sleep anyway.”  
I stood up. We cleaned up the paper mess we had made earlier and went to our rooms.

 

I woke up to a knock on my door. “Yes?” I called out, irritated from being woken up from my sleep.  
Jaehee opened my door enough to poke her head in. “Sorry to wake you. Yoosung said you were up late with him. He made breakfast, and he wants everyone to eat all together.”  
“What time is it?” I asked.  
“Nine,” Jaehee said. “Be in the dining area in ten minutes, please.” She left, closing the door.  
I scrambled to get out of bed and change. I pulled on a gray tee shirt, some denim shorts, some socks, and tennis shoes on and jog down to the dining area.  
“There you are!” Yoosung said, pulling me into a hug. “How was your rest? We are still waiting for Saeyoung and Zen.”  
“I slept alright. Only woke up twice in the night,” I said. “Thank you for spending time with me yesterday, I feel much calmer thanks to you.”  
He beamed. “Anything for my best friend!” He said. “I have your plate ready, but don't eat until everyone gets here!” Yoosung went into the kitchen again.   
I sat down next to Jaehee. “How did you sleep?” I asked.  
“I finally went to bed around midnight,” She said, fidgeting with the bracelet I made her. “I was a bit anxious last night.”  
I nodded. “Anxiety in this situation is completely normal,” I said.  
She smiled at me. “Thank you, Mi-young. I hope your anxiety doesn't act up too much, too. I’m sure Yoosung knows how to help with yours, though.”  
I nod. “He does. Everyone here knows how to help me, though. I am glad we can help you with yours.”  
“Thank you for your kindness,” she said.   
Saeyoung burst into the room. “Man, I am glad I stocked up real food last week,” he said. “Means we get real food, wowie!” He plopped down right next to me.   
Zen trudged in behind Saeyoung, rubbing at his eyes, looking like he hadn't slept all night. He sat down across the table from Saeyoung, leaving a seat between him and Jumin.  
Yoosung followed in after Zen, smiling. “It’s like a big happy family meal!” He said, sitting in between Zen and Jumin.   
Everyone began to dig in. Yoosung knew how to cook well, though the presentation wasn't very nice.  
Zen was the first to excuse himself. He said he was going to go back to sleep, as he didn't get any rest during the night. Jaehee looked sad to hear that her favorite actor was struggling with the current situation. After Zen left, she excused herself to check on him.   
“So, how long do you think we should stay here?” Saeyoung asked Jumin. Jumin had taken over leading the RFA after V left.  
“If we don't hear anything new, three more days,” Jumin said.  
“If we do hear something?” I asked   
“It depends on what we hear,” Jumin stated. “If a situation arises, we will make the decisions then.” After Jumin said this, he stood up and took his plate to the kitchen.  
“Well, thank you for breakfast, Yoosung,” I said, standing up. I grabbed my dish along with the other’s empty plates and took them into the kitchen and got to work on washing up all of the dishes.  
In the middle of making dishes, Jumin informed me that we all would be meeting in the common area to discuss a chore chart. He looked less than pleased about having to do his own chores.  
I walked into the common area and took a look at the mural Yoosung and I were working on the far wall. I noticed he had finished adding a bit more to the lineart.  
Everyone was gathered on the couch and floor, with a list of chores in front of them on a whiteboard.  
“Mi-young, we are planning the rest of today,” Yoosung told me as I sat down next to him. “Now that she is here, can we start?”  
“Yes,” Jaehee said. “Yoosung took breakfast…” She wrote down Yoosung’s name next to breakfast. “Who will take lunch?”  
“I can,” Zen said. Jaehee passed the marker to him, and he wrote his name down.  
“I will make dinner,” said Saeyoung. “Believe it or not, I know how to cook.”  
“I already did the dishes from breakfast, I will take dish duty for today,” I offered.  
Jaehee nodded and took the marker from Zen, writing down all the names that had come up. “Then Jumin and I will be in charge of switching the chart for tomorrow and other random things that pop up,” she stated. “Are we all understood?”  
We all agreed, then went on our way to do our own things. I went into my room and spotted a small cat-like toy sitting on my desk, atop a package of embroidery thread, tape, and scissors. I excitedly walked over and sat in the chair in front of my desk and inspected the toy. It was a white cat with a few gray splotches on it and pink color. In the center, there was a button, and when I pushed it, the cat’s eyes glowed.  
“It’s a nightlight,” I heard from behind me. I turned around to see Saeyoung. “I also had some bracelet making things I have been meaning to put in here, so here you are.”  
I stood up from my seat at the desk and rushed over to give him a hug. “Thank you, Saeyoung!” I exclaimed as I released him. “You will be the first to receive a bracelet.”  
“Sweet, Mi-young’s bracelets for all!” He shouted, smiling. “I am glad you like your gifts. The kitty will stay on all night, but it'll drain the battery if you have it on all the time. I have spares, but make sure to turn him off during the day.”  
“I will, thank you.”  
“I’ll be out, then,” he said, leaving my room and shutting the door behind him. I tore open the package of embroidery thread, planning a bracelet for Saeyoung. I took out various shades of red, black, and yellow, and began to make a chevron bracelet for him.

By the time lunch had rolled around, I had already finished the bracelet due to having made bracelet what feels like a million times before, so when I knew Saeyoung was out of his room, I placed it under his pillow, allowing for it to poke out just a bit. I skipped down to the dining room, passing through the kitchen to see Zen putting sandwiches on plates. I entered the room and sat next to an irritated Jumin.  
“What's up, Jumin? You look angry,” I said.  
“There's no cell service out here, so I can't see how Elizabeth the Third is doing,” Jumin said, setting his phone on the table.  
“I’m sorry, Jumin. Hopefully, you will be able to see her in a few days!”  
He sighed. “A few days is much too long to be away without any new photos of her…” He unlocked his phone to show me his background, a photo of Elizabeth the Third. “This is the most recent photo of her. She really is majestic, yes?”  
“Are you showing photos of Elly?” Saeyoung asked, running behind the two of us to see Jumin's phone. “She's so pretty! She could be the next longcat!”  
Jumin put his phone away. “Do not call her that.”   
“Jumin! I wanna see pictures of Elly!” Saeyoung whined.  
Zen entered the room. “Don't even mention that furball!”  
We all ate lunch together, and everyone seemed much happier during lunch than they did during breakfast. For most of the time, the conversation was about cats - specifically Elizabeth the Third, much to Zen’s discomfort. He left about ten minutes into the conversation to eat in his room. With Zen gone, Jumin went on about Elizabeth the Third more excitedly. He talked about her, from her favorite food to how many cat hairs she sheds a day on average. He seemed much more comfortable when he spoke of her, so nobody said anything to stop him.   
After lunch, I took everyone's plates and washed them up in the sink. I was quick with dishes, excited to go back to my room and work on bracelets for everyone. I first needed to make sure Saeyoung wouldn't tell anyone I was making bracelets for them so it wouldn't ruin the surprise.  
After making Saeyoung swear to secrecy, I skipped to my room and happily worked at bracelets for everyone, using their favorite colors. While working on Jumin’s bracelet, I heard a knock at my door.   
“One moment!” I shouted, hurrying to hide the bracelets. I shoved everything under my pillow, then ran to open the door.   
“I have all the lineart done,” Yoosung said on the other side. “Tonight, do you want to work on it again? We can test out colors.”  
I nod. “That sounds great, Yoosung!”  
“Would you like to walk around the hideout for a bit? Explore some more?” He asked.  
“Yeah! Sounds fun!” I said. His face lit up. I stepped out of my room, and we walked down the hallway.  
“Should we ask if anyone wants to come with?” I asked. “I’m sure Zen may want to explore.”  
Yoosung shook his head. “He’s working out right now.”  
“We could ask Saeyoung if he wants to give us an in-depth tour?” I said.  
“Sounds like a good idea! That way we don't miss anything!”  
We ran to Saeyoung’s door and knocked excitedly. He opened the door, looking somewhat irritated and tired.  
“Would you be willing to show us every spot here? Like, the places you glossed over during the initial tour?” I asked.  
He nodded. “Can you give me a few minutes? I’ll meet you in the commons room.”  
Yoosung and I raced to the commons area. I was victorious in the race, as I usually was. Spending so much time with him was excellent. We both were very energetic and always had a good time together. It was great being together to help ease the anxiety I would have been feeling otherwise.  
We plopped down on the couch together, staring up at our mural. We began to brainstorm colors.  
“What do you think of using warm colors only?” I asked. “That way you get a warm feeling in here.”  
Yoosung was practically bouncing in his seat, clapping his hands. “Yes! I love it!”  
“Love what? My godlike skills?” Saeyoung entered the room.   
“Saeyoung! Would you like to hear our plans for the mural?” Yoosung asked.  
Saeyoung shook his head. “I want to be surprised as best I can,” he said. “Ready for the in-depth tour?”  
Yoosung and I jumped up from our spots on the couch. “We sure are!” I said, dragging Yoosung behind me to walk over to where Saeyoung stood. “Lead the way!”  
Saeyoung began walking around, showing us some random areas he hadn't shown anyone else. He told us about the hidden memes around the place. Apparently, every time he came here to work, he would hide a meme somewhere to confuse Jumin.   
Saeyoung also showed us some more exciting parts of the hideout. There were four ways to escape that you wouldn't be able to get in through. One was through the ceiling in the hallway, one was out through Jaehee’s room, and the other two were in the common room and the dining room.  
While on tour, we noticed little robots around. Saeyoung was very excited to tell us what each of them did. My favorite robot we saw was a small cat vacuum Saeyoung called the Roombot. It looked similar to my nightlight, except it was in a laying down position. I wondered if Saeyoung was building a specific cat in particular when he built cat robots. I made a mental note to ask him about it sometime.  
Saeyoung seemed really excited to show off the hideout. It was clear he had put a lot of effort into it. He always got excited showing people things he has worked on, such as the robots he made, his toy store he was opening, and the touch ups he did on his cars.  
After the tour finished, we all went back to Saeyoung’s room to hang out until it was time for dinner. I couldn’t help but admire the room itself. It was painted red and yellow, colors that suited Saeyoung well. He had papers strewn across the desk next to his bed, his laptop on top of a stack of what looked like doodles.   
We all sat criss crossed on Saeyoung’s bed. We had decided to play truth or dare, a regular game for the three of us to play when we were together. Yoosung was my best friend, but I was also really close with Saeyoung. We liked to hang out together at each other’s houses, playing silly games like would you rather and truth or dare.  
“Yoosung, truth or dare?” Saeyoung asked.   
“Coming from you? I don't want either.” Yoosung laughed. “Truth.”  
“Biggest pet-peeve?”  
Yoosung tapped his chin with his pointer finger. “Well, I hate when people act as if they have more power over me, or if people act smarter than I am. Does that count?”  
“I’d say so,” I said. “Yoosung, your turn to ask!”  
“Mi-young, truth or dare?” Yoosung turned to face me.   
“Dare for sure. Make it good!” I said.  
“Do you have any speeches or skits memorized?” Yoosung asked. I nodded. “I want you to walk down the hallway saying one of the speeches or skits you have memorized, you can't come back until it's fully finished.”  
I shrugged. My favorite skit I have memorized was the first part of “Who’s on first” by Abbott and Costello. I would just say both parts and pace up and down the hallway.   
I began reciting the skit as I stood up and walked to the door. I hoped someone would recognize what I was saying. The person who was most likely to know it would be Zen, seeing as it was a famous comedy duo piece, and he had acted in a comedy duo recently.   
To my dismay, the only people who even acknowledged my one person comedy duo were Saeyoung and Yoosung.   
Suddenly, a loud beeping filled my ears. It sounded like it was coming through the intercoms. Everyone ran out of their rooms and into the hallway.   
Saeyoung’s face paled when he heard the noise. “Everyone, go to the common room. I’ll investigate the noise. Go!”   
Everyone except for me ran immediately to the Common room. I stayed behind. “I’ll help you look around,” I said. Saeyoung paused, but agreed to let me help.   
We ran around, checking everyone’s rooms for anything plugged into the intercom system. After not finding anything, we ran into Saeyoung’s room. He pulled open his laptop and began typing away. I assumed he was hacking into the intercom system.   
We speed-walked down to the common area with the laptop, the intercom still beeping away.   
“Is everything alright?” Zen asked. Saeyoung shushed him while he worked away.   
“Tracing… Intercom system successfully hacked… Computer room!” Saeyoung shouted the last part. Everyone jumped up, running towards the computer room.   
The door was closed. Saeyoung motioned for everyone to go behind him. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door quickly, throwing it against the wall inside the room.   
Saeyoung entered the room. The intercoms stopped playing the beeping noise immediately.  
He sighed. “That sound meant someone was trying to hack into our system.” He turned around to face us. “I think they stopped trying though. I’ll try to trace it - ”  
“Saeyoung,” Jumin interrupted.  
“I’m trying to explain what safety measures we will need to take, Jumin,” Saeyoung stated. “Anyhow, I’ll try and figure out who tried to get into the system. In the meantime - ”  
“Saeyoung,” Jumin repeated. “The screens.”  
Saeyoung turned around to face the screens. I peeked into the room.  
Everything looked normal except for one thing. On the primary monitor, displayed clearly, was a simple set of three numbers written in red font against a screen of green code. Underneath the numbers, a red skull drawing.  
707.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all~ Please make sure to comment! Follow me on tumblr at neverplannedonsomeonelikeyou! I post lots of mystic messenger related work there!


	3. Chapter 3

Saeyoung was visibly panicked.  
“Everyone, out,” he said softly. “Let me work.”  
“What’s going on?” Yoosung asked.  
“I said out!” Saeyoung shouted, pushing everyone back and swinging the door shut.   
I stood in front of the door in shock. I had never seen Saeyoung like this. I looked over to Yoosung, who was tearing up.   
“Yoosung...” Zen said gently. He put his hand on Yoosung’s shoulder. He jumped from the physical contact.  
“I’ll be in my room if anyone needs me,” Jumin said, turning around and walking towards his room.   
Zen patted Yoosung’s shoulder and walked off, Jaehee following.  
“Yoosung, do you need anything..?” I asked.   
He shook his head and ran towards his bedroom. With everyone now gone, I felt panic grip my heart.   
I found myself walking towards Jaehee’s room. I walked as fast as I could, not wanting to be alone a second longer. I knocked on her door.  
Jaehee opened the door quickly. “Mi-young, can I help you?” she asked.  
I nod. “Could I come in? I don't want to be alone.”  
Jaehee softens immediately. “Of course, come on in.” She opens the door wider. I walk in and sat down on her bed. I looked around her room. She had papers scattered around her desk with little doodles on them.   
“I didn't know you were an artist,” I said.  
She shook her head. “I’m not. Or, I wasn’t. I needed a way to release my anxieties, and art was the first thing that came to my mind.” She walked over to her desk and began to pick up all the papers and stash them in a drawer. “I noticed the mural you and Yoosung are painting.”  
“Yes, we are recreating the first photo of all of us together,” I said. “Do you like it so far?”  
She smiled. “I do. I am excited to see the finished product!”   
I mirrored her smile. “Thank you. Speaking of Yoosung… What do you think may be stressing Saeyoung out so much that he had to shout at him?”   
“I feel it is a natural reaction,” she started. “Saeyoung must feel some heavy pressure on him currently. He must feel he needs to solve this all on his own.” She dropped her voice down to a whisper. “I also feel he must think it is his fault.”  
“His fault?”  
“He blames himself for anything he can.” She sits down next to me. “He may think it is someone he harmed for the Agency trying to get back at him.”  
I sighed. “I hope this is over quickly… He could use a break.”  
Jaehee nodded and patted my knee. “Would you like a distraction, now? Distractions help me when I am anxious.”  
“Yes, please,” I said.   
“Would you like to watch Zen’s DVD on my laptop? I had left the DVD in my laptop before the party,” she said. “We could see if Zen would like to watch, too.”  
“That sounds good,” I said. “If you get it started, I will go check if Zen is interested in watching.”  
“Alright,” She said, booting her laptop up. I left and walked to Zen’s room. I knocked on the door a couple times. He opens the door after a moment of waiting.  
“Hey, Mi-young,” he said. “Are you doing alright?”  
I nodded. “Jaehee and I will be watching one of your DVD’s, we were wondering if you were interested in watching with us.”  
He smiled. “Thank you for the invitation. I could probably use a distraction.”  
“We will be in Jaehee’s room when you are ready,” I said.  
He nodded and informed me that he would be there in a moment before shutting the door. I walked back to Jaehee’s room, the door already open. I strolled in and sat on her bed. She had positioned her laptop on the side of the bed, leaving enough room for three people to sit comfortably. Zen entered the room shortly and sat beside me. Jaehee greeted him and closed her door, then pushed the play button.  
Watching Zen’s DVD would have been a great distraction, but about halfway through, we heard running through the hallway. Zen and Jaehee ignored it, since Yoosung and I had been running through the hallways often and they assumed it was him, but I wanted to check.  
I stepped out of the room to see the hallway empty. Closing the door behind me, I began to wander down towards the common room.   
I heard a bang in the kitchen. Alerted, I jogged towards the room. “Hello?”  
“I’ll be in the computer room for a while.” I saw Saeyoung as I entered the room, a case of PhD pepper in one hand.   
“What’s going on?” I asked.   
“I can't say,” he said.   
“Don't keep any big secrets, Saeyoung. We are here to help,” I told him.   
He walked away from me, leaving me alone in the kitchen.  
I stood alone, wondering what Saeyoung could be hiding.

After seeing Saeyoung in the kitchen, I went back to my room, informing Jaehee and Zen that I wouldn't be finishing the movie with them. I decided it would be best to work on bracelets to let out my emotions.  
I wondered why Saeyoung wouldn't tell me what he knew. He had promised everyone that the RFA wouldn't have any secrets anymore, but he was withholding information now.  
I didn't want things to go the same way as they did when I first joined.  
Back then, there were so many secrets. Saeyoung had to come to Rika’s apartment where I was staying at to protect me. He was so cold, so secretive. He told me not to talk to him and to stay quiet. He also told me not to get attached to him.  
Then, we found Saeran.   
Saeran… We had been gone for two days now. Had Saeyoung contacted him? Saeran wasn't feeling well enough to go to a RFA party, as he was still in the recovery process.   
I felt guilt well in my chest. How could we leave Saeran without telling him where we were going or what was going on?  
I reach for my phone and sigh, remembering that we had no service out here and I would be unable to reach him. I decided to ask next time I saw Saeyoung if Saeran knew.  
I pulled out the bracelet I was working on last from its hiding place. It was Jumins, which I had chosen deep purples and blues for. I wasn't quite sure if it was his favorite color, but he wore dark purples often, so I figured it was a good assumption.  
I got to work making a simple fishtail bracelet, one of the quickest bracelets I knew how to make. I decided since the fishtail bracelet is small, I would make a rope bracelet as well.   
I walked down to the kitchen to see if there were any thin cardboard boxes I could cut up to make the wheel for the bracelet. Finding a box of cereal on top of the fridge, I took the cereal bag out and set it in its spot on the fridge. I ran down to my room, box in hand.  
I stepped into my room and saw Yoosung sitting on my bed. He didn't look up as I came in, his eyes closed, muttering something I couldn't hear.  
“Yoosung?” I asked. He jumped up from my bed and put up a smile.  
“Hey, Mi-young!” he said, surprised.  
“Whatcha doing?” I said, walking over to my desk to try and casually hide the bracelets I was working on. Yoosung, though smart, was not very observant, and he may not have noticed the bracelets yet.  
“You’re making bracelets?” he asked.   
“You can't tell any of the others,” I said. “It's a secret.”  
He nodded. “My lips are sealed!” He held an imaginary key to his mouth, locking his lips sealed and threw away the key. “But, to answer your question, I was waiting for you. We agreed to work on the mural tonight, and…” He paused, looking at his feet. “I could use the distraction.”  
“Of course!” I said. “Lets go plan colors.” I set down the cereal box I had been carrying on my desk, then the two of us walked down to the supply closet to grab the paint. It took a couple trips, but we managed to get all the paint out and into the common room.  
“So, we want to use warm colors as much as we can,” Yoosung said. “Since we want to have a warm feeling in the room.”  
I nodded. “So, let's get to work swatching the colors on the lids!” I said excitedly. Yoosung and I opened each can of paint and put a swipe of color on the corresponding lid. After we finished, we worked on sorting the colors, grouping them with similar ones. After we finished that, we were able to start picking what colors to use.  
“I like thirty-two G.R. for Jaehee’s suit,” I said. “What do you think?”  
Yoosung smiled. “I think it's perfect! I like it for the shading in Zen’s hair, also!”  
We continued working on our color palette for each person, even going far enough to test on the wall what some of the colors will look like. We finished up choosing all the colors late at night.  
“Would you like to work on this more later?” Yoosung asked me.   
I yawned. “Yes, please.”  
He chuckled. “Go to bed, sleepy head.” We both started walking towards our rooms, but he stopped me before I reached mine. “Hey… Don't worry about Saeyoung. He’ll be alright,” Yoosung said, seemingly reassuring himself more than me.  
I smiled at him. “Yes, he will be okay, and he will make sure all of us are as well.”  
“Yeah... Well, goodnight!” Yoosung turned around and skipped down the hallway to his room. I smiled and shook my head. He was so easy to put in a better mood.  
I entered my room and closed the door behind me. I decided to finish up on the bracelets I was making for my friends all tonight instead of sleeping, that way I’d be able to slip them under everyone’s doors by the end of the night.  
I got to work and let my mind wander as my hands were busy. My thoughts went to each individual RFA member.  
Yoosung had always been there for me. I never wanted to ask for help, and he seemed to notice exactly when I needed it. All of the RFA was good with spotting when I was struggling, but Yoosung was the best. In turn, I helped him when he needed it. Often, he would need to vent about his hurt of losing Rika twice. It pained me that I couldn't help him get over her as much as I wished.  
My thoughts drifted to Zen next. Zen was always making sure everyone (except for Jumin) was taking good care of themselves. Yoosung often ignored Zen’s advice, but the rest of us appreciated it. He often told us of the best skincare brands and the best tricks to make sure you looked your best. He was also always the first to notice when anyone was anxious and knew the best ways to help from his time helping stressed co-stars. It made me feel good when Zen came to me to vent about scandals that ran about him. I enjoyed being there for him, and helping him through everything the best I could.  
Jaehee was very easy going with me when she was able to. We often bonded over coffee trips, where I would let her complain about the stresses of being Jumin’s assistant. Anytime she was stressed, she came to me before anyone else.  
I’ve heard from the others that ever since I met Jumin, he has been much more open with everyone. He has learned the importance of expressing more emotion and talking to his friends about the stresses of his life. He relied on me often, sometimes going as far as to call me to his office so we would have wine and discuss issues he had. I didn't mind whatsoever, as I enjoyed being a positive force in Jumin's life.  
Lastly, I thought of Saeyoung. Saeyoung closed me off to begin with. He had been cold and distant, and he wouldn't let me help with anything. But after he began letting me in, he had become a much happier person. He shared his burdens with his brother and I. At least, up until today.  
I set the bracelet I was working on down and sighed with frustration. How could I help Saeyoung in this situation? I couldn't think of anything. He was closing himself off again.   
What if he entirely closed himself off? Was I not good enough? Would I ever be good enough? I started to panic.  
I stood and moved to my bed, grabbing the covers and pulling them around me tightly. I felt tears well in my eyes. All I wanted is to help, to be enough.   
I stayed in my bed for what felt like hours. Slowly, sleep overtook me.

I was at my childhood home, the cool browns and yellows of my living room filling my vision. I looked around and saw my family sitting on the couch and floor around the coffee table, playing a board game.  
“Look who rolled out of bed for once and decided to join us,” my mother said in a harsh tone. I looked away. Why did she always have to start conversations that way?  
“Hello, family…” I said quietly. “I wasn’t in bed, I was studying.” I sat down next to my older brother, Ha-joon. He scooted over.  
“Oh? Studying? Good for you to have put a bit of effort in for once!” My father said with a deceiving smile. “And you were studying when I was home? I’m never home, Mi-young.”  
“I’m sorry,” I said softly, my eyes towards the ground.   
“Why can't you be like your siblings?” Mother said. “Soyoung is studying to be a doctor like your father, and she is here with us still.”  
Min looked over at me triumphantly, a grin plastered on her face. I hated when my parents compared me to my siblings. I was never good enough.  
“Or why not like Ga-young, or Na-young?” Father pipes up. “They've got perfect grades. They'll be fabulous doctors, too.”  
“Not everyone wants to be a doctor, dad. I'm gonna be a vet!” Ha-joon said with a smile, putting his hands on his hips and puffing out his chest.  
“And what are you going to do, sweetie? You won't get to be a doctor or vet with your grades, now, will you?” Father said. I shook my head slowly.  
“Every family has a runt. I guess that's just you, Mi-young,” Father said coldly. “Now go finish studying.”

Knock, knock, knock.  
I woke with a start, my face wet. I wiped my face off with my blanket. “Come in!”  
Zen stepped into my room. “Mi-young, I heard you crying.”  
“I’m sorry to wake you.” I sat up. “What time is it?”  
“Four,” he said as he sat on my bed. “Are you okay?”  
I nodded. “Just a bad dream. How are you doing?”  
He sighed. “I’ve been better. I’m worried about Saeyoung.”  
I patted his shoulder, wiping my nose with my other hand. “I’m sure he will be better once all of this is over. Cheer up, Zen!”  
He smiled. “Thank you, Mi-young. You always know what to said to brighten my mood.” He stood up and walked to the door. “Sleep tight.” He left, closing the door shut behind him.   
I stood up and walked to my desk. Since I was awake, I decided I may as well work on bracelets again.  
I managed to finish everyone's bracelets, along with little notes to go with each. I walked down the hallway, slipping each bracelet and note under the doors of the soon to be owners. I hoped the bracelets would bring each RFA member joy.   
I wandered to the common room where we hung a clock. The time was six in the morning. I checked the chore chart and noticed I was off duty all day, meaning I’d be able to go back to sleep with no worries.   
I walked down to Saeyoung’s room to see if he had ever gone to sleep, but the door was already open, its inhabitant nowhere to be seen. I frowned and walked to the computer room, quietly opening the door.  
I saw Saeyoung sitting at the chair in front of a few computer screens, exhaustion clear on his face. I took a step forward, but he turned to face me.  
“Zen already tried to get me to leave,” he said. “I won't until I catch this guy.”  
I sighed. “Will you join us for breakfast?” He shook his head as he turned around again and began to tap furiously at his keyboard. I turned to leave, but before exiting, I stopped. “I’ll bring you some food and water later.”  
He didn’t react. I sighed and left the room, closing the door behind me. 

I ended up sleeping again until breakfast was ready. I got out of bed and changed into a pair of jeans and kept my pajama shirt on. I walked to the dining room to see everyone already seated. Everyone except for Saeyoung.  
“There she is!” Yoosung exclaimed when he saw me. “We were just about to go get you.”   
“I made breakfast,” Jaehee said. “Jumin has lunch, and Yoosung has dinner. Zen is on dish duty today. You and Saeyoung are off for the day.”  
“Saeyoung will likely be off for a while,” Jumin said. “Mi-young, you are the closest with Saeyoung. Would you bring him some food throughout the day?”  
“Trust Fund kid is worrying about Saeyoung?” Zen asked. “Who are you and what did you do with Jumin?”  
“He is valuable. He must take care of himself.” Jumin stated. Jaehee mumbled something about how she is valuable as well, then left to grab the breakfast plates. I went in to help her.  
“Oh, Mi-young, thank you,” Jaehee said as I picked up a few plates from the counter. She had made breakfast sandwiches, and they smelled and looked amazing.  
“Thank you as well,” I said. “I will bring a few plates in, then bring Saeyoung one.” She nodded in agreement. We brought the food into the dining room except for one sandwich, of which I walked down to the computer room. I knocked softly as I opened the door.  
“Jaehee made breakfast. I decided to bring it to you,” I said. He didn't acknowledge me. I set the plate on the desk next to him. He waved me away. I left the room without another word.

The day seemed to drag on and on. I had run out of things I wanted to work on. Mural? Yoosung was busy. Bracelets? At this rate I would run of out thread. I had run out of games on my phone.   
I was becoming absolutely bored.  
I decided to sleep most of the day. I put a sign on my door requesting for nobody to disturb me and fell into my bed, but the second my head hit the pillow, I was no longer tired.  
I huffed in frustration and sat up in my bed. I started thinking of the RFA.  
All of the members have always treated each other like family, in their own ways. Like a real family, we fought quite a bit. Between Saeyoung’s pranks and Jumin and Zen’s constant bickering, things got quite chaotic sometimes. But when it came down to it, everyone cared deeply for each other.  
And that is the difference between my real family and the family I have joined.  
My family was often very hard to deal with. They had high expectations for each child, and I never met any of them. My siblings grew up to be amazing in the medical field, and I ended up working retail.  
I didn't mind the life I had chosen for myself. It was the job I had worked since I was a teenager, and I was happy with it all except for one issue - my parents hated it.  
When I told them first during my senior year of high school that I was thinking about not going to college, they lost it. They had said that if I wasn’t accepted into the college they had picked for me then I had no place in the family.  
I studied hard in high school, though nothing seemed to work. I just wasn’t ever interested in the material. By senior year, I didn't have much I could do to increase my likelihood of getting into the college my parents picked.  
Finally, everyone was getting their acceptance letters in the mail. I was heartbroken to find I wasn’t accepted anywhere I applied.  
I may have been sad, but my parents were the angriest I think I ever saw them.

“Was school just a joke to you, Mi-young?” My mother yelled. I jumped back at her voice.   
“Why couldn’t you have been like your siblings?” Father shouted. “They never had any issues with school, and you had to go and break the streak!”  
“I’m sorry,” I cried. “I tried, please believe me.”  
“Leave,” my father said quietly.  
“What?” I breathed. He couldn’t be serious, could he?  
“I said, leave!” He shouted. I scrambled to the door, leaving the house and returned later to see all of my things packed neatly in the front lawn.

I shook my head and returned to the real world, leaving my thoughts behind. I stood up and walked to the common room, looking for something to do. I saw Zen sitting on one of the couches.  
“Hello, Zen,” I said, sitting next to him on the couch.  
He smiled at me. “Hey, pretty lady. You look upset.” He turned his body towards me, concern written across his face.  
“I was just thinking about my family,” I said. “How are you doing?”  
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I miss practice,” he admitted. “I don't even have a script I can memorize right now.”  
I patted his shoulder. “Would you like to tell me about acting?”  
His face lit up. He started to tell me a lot of basic things about acting, and eventually showed me how to do a stage fall. I was grinning ear to ear while he showed me a monologue he performed once.   
“Zen, you’re such an amazing actor,” I said. “I can see why Jaehee enjoys your acting so much.”  
He smiled. “Thank you. It has taken some time, but I think I’ll be one of the best actors one day!”  
Zen and I continued chatting until dinner, when Yoosung dragged us to the dining room. Dinner finished up quickly, and I found myself walking to the computer room to check up on Saeyoung.   
I opened the door without knocking. I glanced around the room and saw Saeyoung passed out at his desk.  
How much work does he have to keep him at the desk instead of going to his bed? I thought. I decided I would let him sleep there, knowing if he were to wake up that he wouldn't go back to bed.  
I walked back to my room and got ready for bed. I decided to check on him when I woke up.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello all! I will be posting every couple weeks. Please check out my Tumblr at neverplannedonsomeonelikeyou ! I take requests~ Please make sure to comment as well! Your comments are what drive me to post.


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